A Toronto scholar says his outcry over gender-neutral pronouns and political correctness has garnered “overwhelming” support since he went public with his views.

University of Toronto psychology Prof. Jordan Peterson last week posted a YouTube video criticizing the federal government’s Bill C-16, which would alter laws to prohibit discrimination based on gender expression and identity.

Peterson claimed Tuesday that 98% of those who contacted him about the video are supportive.

“Most of what I’ve experienced has been ... overwhelming support,” he said, adding that even a small percentage of supporters have been from the gay, transgender and non-binary communities. “Most of them (told) me stories about how their right to free speech is being trampled upon by excessive linguistic control expressed by the more radical elements of the (political correctness) movement.”

In his hour-long video, Peterson also takes aim at the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which describes gender identity as “each person’s internal and individual experience of gender” and “their sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the gender spectrum.”

Peterson insists all this is ideologically-driven policy and runs roughshod over free speech.

He refuses to use non-binary pronouns in reference to those wishing to be called something other than “he” or “she.”

A rally in protest of Peterson’s remarks is planned for Wednesday outside U of T’s Sidney Smith Hall.

Peterson, who once taught at Harvard University, was asked about reaction from his current employer.

“What the U of T has done is what you’d expect a reasonably well-functioning bureaucracy to do,” Peterson said. “They’ve reminded me of my responsibilities according to their policies.”

A U of T spokesman says the university complies with Ontario Human Rights Commission policies around gender-identity discrimination.